Although my love of vintage keyboards, eyeliner (back in the day), Russian literature of the 18th century, synth pop, dressing up a dandy, hats and American art deco interiors of late 30s and 40s would seem to be incompatible with my true love of sports - it isn’t really. It’s part of my growing up seeing the woeful Cleveland Indians never finish higher than 3rd place before their big run in the mid 90s, and watching Michael Jordan’s “The Shot” from the last row of the Richfield Coliseum as the semi-dynastic Cavaliers of Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, John “Hot Rod” Williams, Larry Nance, Craig Ehlo and Danny Ferry went down year after year to the Chicago Bulls. It is no fun being the 2nd best team in the NBA or MLB! The Cleveland Browns you may be asking? I really don’t care about Football or Hockey (there is no Cleveland Team in the NHL), but I do like to follow OSU Big Ten College Football. Now look, I am no sports junkie. Yes, I know a lot of stats from 1998 about Sandy Alomar and Omar Vizguel and Kenny Lofton, but I do not abandon my family every game. I only go see maybe 3-4 live sporing events a year. I don’t even have Cable, so if I want to see a game I usually need to head out to a sports bar and watch it. This limits casual viewing, and as much as I love the Americana and nostalgia of baseball and the speed, power and grace of basketball - I cannot simply sit down and watch any game that may be on. It has to be my team, the Cavs or the Tribe or I’m not going to waste my time.

Alright now that I have established my moderate tendencies, I need to introduce a caveat: it’s play-off season! My Cavaliers have the best record in the entire NBA! They have the best player in the universe, Lebron James, who is from my hometown of Akron, OH. He went to my rival high school, St. Vincent/St. Mary and was taught by my 2nd cousin, Marylou Windhorst whose son is the Cavs beat reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Brian Windhorst. So, I am deeply connected. We (when I say we, I mean me and the Cavs team an all the true fans out there) just swept the Detroit Pistons in 4 games, we are completely healthy and have a week off before the next round to rest, scout, practice and watch film. I feel it this year. I think it is a really real possibility that Cleveland and Los Angeles may meet in the NBA Finals. And I think we can win it all, if we play our best basketball, clamp down defense, sharing offense and can somehow disrupt Phil Jackson’s Triangle Offense. It will be a challenge. Our biggest challenge, but it is one we can do.

I’m getting excited like before a big trip, or when one of your favorite bands is about to release something new or you head to a big concert or you open up a new keyboard you just got off of eBay. I’m a little jumpy and tense when I think about it or am watching a game. I have seen so many Cleveland teams come so close, but then - Epic Fail! I don’t want them to get tight and worried. If I stay loose and cool, maybe they will too. I am getting to that point where I think that my actions and thoughts may somehow influence the outcome of a game. It is completely stupid and anti-rational - I know. I am not superstitious. I do not believe in anything supernatural, but the brain plays tricks on you when you are as invested in your team as I am in my Cavs.